Sa pagka ngayon, mayroon tayong 24,000 stranded in Manila and they are stranded in the sense that they are not allowed or they cannot go home because the local governments are not accepting them — are not accepting them.
So mayroong mga pronouncement na ang policy na they will not accept returning OFWs. Ang masama nito kasi ‘pag ganun ang behavior natin, Secretary Bello says that there are about 302 coming in in a short while and 62,000 —- 302 and 62,000 are expected to arrive as soon as our airports are open.
You know, in the — not really confusion but in the — in their desire to protect their respective turf, territories kaya ganun man, and I can say that if that is the way they would handle it like a somebody who is really a chieftain of a city or province during a pandemic time, okay ‘yan.
Pero alam mo hindi naman lahat talaga nagkasakit and it is very cruel actually to deny them to go home.
Nandito ‘yan sila sa hotel because they are not or they cannot go home. First because of lack of money and resources. So I have instructed — [was it last night?] — through Secretary Roque that I am ordering the use of all government assets whether it’s really the air or the sea or the transportation owned by government that should be utilized in accepting and probably delivering them to their — if possible, delivering them to their homes, to their families.
Now itong coming na 302 is an — it’s a big worry. Now ‘yung 62 na dadating shortly, ‘pag hindi ninyo tinanggap ‘yan, magkagulo tayo ang Pilipinas.
Now let me be very clear. Let me talk about legality para wala tayong — wala tayong sakit ng loob. Nobody but nobody can really stifle the right of a — whether he is traveling and working outside and coming in, going home. Nagkaroon lang itong temporary — an aberration in the movement of people because of the COVID.
Ito ang sasabihin ko sa lahat: I said nobody but nobody. And only the national government can impose restrictions on travels because it is the only agency who can declare that there is an emergency of national interest. The issue is national interest.
And that power to — of declaration is not shared by anybody. It’s the national government. Ngayon, may mga siyudad na ayaw nilang tanggapin. You know, I’m ordering you to accept them, open the gates of your territories and allow the people — and allow the Filipino to travel wherever they want.
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Iyong ano, ‘yung sequestration ng tao o lockdown should dovetail the national policy. Or better still, as not to confuse the people, you are not allowed to unilaterally declare na ganito, you are closing the entry, the egress and ingress ng tao.
Mahirap ‘yan. Magkagulo tayo, kanya-kanya kayong… So if you want a measure to be implemented in your local government unit, ask permission from the Task Force because alam mo it involves many issues.
One, in the name of humanity. Two, it’s the constitutional right and ito ‘yung pinakamabigat. It is the constitutional right of people to go home — to travel and go home. Do not impede it. Do not obstruct the movement of people because you run the risk of getting sued criminally.
Iyang ang agency… Because it is the national government who declared there is a national emergency involving a pandemic, an issue of health, that — that power cannot be shared by — by anybody else.
If you want, as an adjunct of government, maghingi ka ng permiso sa Task Force. They are the better position really to assess.
Kawawa itong 24. So I am ordering — kasali na ‘yung pera sa — kung may naiwan pa sa 200 million gastusin rin ninyo ‘yon para sa pag-uwi ng tao. Because the reason why they are here is connected with the issue of COVID.
Nagsi-uwian ito, dineport (deport) kasi nga may pandemic involving the entire planet Earth. So the reason why they are deported or forced to go home is because of — well, maybe so as not to have a contagion involving a lot of — in numbers. Now to contain it, ito ‘yung mga ating mga kababayan pinapauwi. Tanggapin natin sila.
DILG SECRETARY EDUARDO AÑO: Sir, ‘yon pong order ninyo na 24,000 OFWs lahat po ‘yan ay na-test natin using PCR at lahat po ‘yan ay negative. Kung sakali lang po na may makakalusot na nawala ‘yung kanyang result at siya ay dumating sa LGU ng walang papeles, ang advice po natin sa LGU tanggapin ninyo at ilagay ninyo sa quarantine hanggang dumating ‘yung kanyang result. Sapagkat ‘yon pong 24,000 po ‘yan ay tested negative po sa PCR. Opo.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yeah, doubly. More reason really for not refusing to accept them. Kawawa naman.
Alam mo, you know ladies and gentlemen if you are listening, p* — t* i** Pilipino ‘to kababayan natin. Tanggapin ninyo and provide for sequestration houses if you want. Iyong doon sila i-quarantine pero hati-hati tayo sa problema tutal hindi naman kami nagkulang. Whatever you need, we provide. It’s just a matter of time. You cannot service the entire 110 million Filipinos at once.
PROJECT ARK MEDICAL TEAM LEADER DRA. DOMINGA “MINGUITA” PADILLA: That’s why I think — I think it’s ignorance only on the part of the LGUs eh. They don’t understand you know.
So I think tama ho ‘yung sinabi niyo we should lecture to them. We should have seminars. I’m willing to give it even via Zoom, di ba? We’re doing this anyway for LGUs. We can do it for them ‘no. We have to educate them.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, anyway…
ES MEDIALDEA: Mr. President, 4,000 will be home to their own provinces by Thursday.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, it behooves upon the DILG to really see to it that everybody is delivered and returned to their homes sa pamilya nila.
Eh noong panahon ng good time we were experiencing the benefits of the dollar. It formed a big part of our GDP. GDP is simply income. Ang ibig sabihin ng GDP is income.
Noong income natin sa bansa natin malaki because nandito itong mga OFW. Tapos ngayon hindi natin tanggapin.
What’s the — what’s the…? F***. That’s final.